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North Side Man Is County’s Fourth Cold-Related Death Of Season

CHICAGO (CBS) — Cold weather has been at least partially to blame for the deaths of at least four people this season in Cook County, according to autopsy results.

The most recent cold-related death happened Sunday morning in the North Side Lake View neighborhood.

Thaddeus B. Kowalewski, 90, died at 11:16 a.m. Sunday at Saint Joseph Hospital, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. He lived in the 3400 block of North Lake Shore Drive.

An autopsy Tuesday found Kowalewski died of heart disease, withd hypothermia due to cold exposure listed as a contributing factor, according to the medical examiner’s office. His death was ruled an accident.

Another person died of cold-related causes last week in southwest suburban Oak Lawn.

The deceased, a male of unknown age, was pronounced dead at 7:09 a.m. Thursday in the 4400 block of West 95th Street in Oak Lawn, according to the medical examiner’s office. His name has not yet been released, but an autopsy found he died of hypothermia and cold exposure. Heart disease was listed as a contributing factor, and his death was ruled an accident.

The season’s second cold-related fatality happened earlier this month in the South Side Hyde Park neighborhood.

Byron D. White, 45, died at 7:34 a.m. Dec. 4 at University of Chicago Medical Center, according to the medical examiner’s office.

White, of the 5200 block of South Hyde Park Boulevard, died of heart disease with cold exposure listed as a contributing factor, according to the medical examiner’s office. His death was ruled an accident.

The first cold-related death of the season happened in October in the West Pullman neighborhood on the Far South Side.

Willie P. McCarns, 56, died at 1:20 p.m. Oct. 26 in the 1400 block of West 119th Street, according to the medical examiner’s office.

An autopsy found McCarns, whose home address was unknown, died of heart disease, with ethanol intoxication and cold exposure listed as contributing causes, according to the medical examiner’s office. His death was ruled an accident.

Last winter, at least 15 cold-related deaths were reported in Cook County, according to the medical examiner’s office.